Torpedo-shell.



E. S. LAFFERTY.

TORPEDO SHELL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.Z1,1908. 961,143. Patented June 14,1910.

2 BHEETS-SHEET 1.

Fluveufoz illiuznu a M E. S. LAFFEETY.

TORPEDO SHELL.

. APPLIG'ATION FILED SEPT.21,1908. 961,148. Patented June 14,191).

2 SHEETSSHEET E.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EBAS'IUS S. LAFIEBTY, OI GALEBBUBG, ILLINOIS.

TOBIEDO-SHELL.

Specification or Letters Patent.

Patented J mm 14, 1910.

Application filed September 21, 1908. Serial No. 468,914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enasros S. Larrrnrv, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gale'sburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois,have invented new and useful TorpedoShells, of which the following is as ecification.

his invention relates to an improved shell for housin the detonatingpowder used in railway signaling torpedoes.

The object of the invention is to provide an article of this characterwhich shall be simple in construction, easily manufactured, and whichwill not inflict injury, should it fly or scatter when exploded, andwhich further shall, while non-metallic in character, be thoroughlymoisture and water-proof, whereby effectually to shield the containedexplosive against deterioration.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the natureof the invention is better understood, the same consists, generallystated, in a torpedo shell constructed from paper or fiber thoroughlyimpregnated or saturated with a water-proof material.

piece of prepared material or a plurality of pieces, and the parts ofwhich are held assembled with a water-proof cement. The binding orclamping member which holds the torpedo assembled with the railway railis so connected with the shell, that when the latter explodes, the clampwill not be hurled through the air, so that accidents frequently hapening from this cause, will be prevented.

T e invention consists further in the vari ous novel details ofconstruction of a torpedo shell, as will be hereinafter fully describedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andin which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts:-Figure 1 is a view in plan of one form of to edo blank constructed inac cordance wit the present invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionalview through a torpedo constructed from the blank shown in Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a perspective detail view of a complete torpedo constructed fromthe blank shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical lon 'tudinal sectionalview through a torp 0, showing a slightly modified form of blank. Fig. 5is a view 1n plan of a slightly modified form of tor edo. Fig. 6 is avert1- cal sectional view t rough a. torpedo constructed from the blankshown in Fig. 5.

7 is a vertical sectional view through a rther modified form of torpedo.

The blank, shown in Fig. 1, is constructed from pasteboard, fiber, orother suitable material that is non-metallic and which is capable ofabsorbing or becoming thoroughly 1mpregnated with any suitablewater-proofing material. The blank is constructed from a single piece ofsuch material, and consists of three approximately circular members 1,2, and 3 that are connected by constricted necks 3. The members 1 and 3,as shown in Fig. 2, are fiat, while the member 2 is stamped up to forman ap roximately semispherical chamber 4 in w ich the explosive isplaced. In constructing a torpedo with this form of blank, after theexplosive has been placed in the chamber 4, one of the members, say themember 1, is folded over against the-member 2 and is secured to theperiphery thereof by a suitable water-proof cement. The attaching memberor binding strap 5, which is made of a length of easily bendable metal,preferably 0 thin sheet lead, is then disposed against the member 3, Theshell may be constructed from a single and the member 1 is then foldedover against the member 3 and is secured thereto by a water-proofcement. As the binding strap is below the explosive, it follows thatwhen the torpedo is exploded, the strap will remain in position upon therail and as the. shell is of light and soft material, it will either bewholly consumed by the heat of the explosion of the powder or willsimply scatter without doing any harm.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the shell is composed offour parts, namely, a powder chamber or receptacle 6, an annulus 7cemented thereto, a closure or backing 8, and a binding strap retainer9, all of these parts being constructed of a. fibrous water-proofmaterial. The chamber is provided with a peripheral flange 10 to whlchthe annulus 7 is cemented, and to this flange the backing 8 will also becemented. The binding stra 11 is placed against the backing 8 and t eretainer 9 is then cemented to position.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, a novel means is providedfor attaching the binding strap to the member 1 of the tor do blank.This device consists of a meta ic clip 12 constructed from sheet metal,such as tin, and having four arms 13, the terminals of which are bentaround the member 1 to secure it in position, as shown at 1c in Fig. 6.lit the center portion of the I clip, the metal is incised to providetwo lips c is emplo ed, and this is held in place b the clamps 5 in thesame manner as the olding strap 16. Inasmuch as the clip will lie uponthe rail and beneath the torpedo when the latter ex 'lodes, there willbe no danger of its flying eterally and inflicting injury.

Torpedoes constructed from the shells herein shown, will be found inevery par ticular as eflicient as those employing metallic shells butwill have the added advantages of being chea er to manufacture and ofbeing harmless w en exploded.

I ciaimz- 1. A tor do shell constructed from a single piece 0 fibrousmaterial thoroughly sat ureted with a water-proofing material andembodying three approximately circular members connected by constrictednecks, two of which circular members are flat, and one of which isapproximately semi-spherical, to constitute an explosive receivingchamber, one of the flat members constituting a closure for the saidchamber, and the other a means of connection with the attaching device.

2. tor edo shell constructed from a single piece 0 fibrous materielthoroughly saturated with water-proofing material and embodying threeapproximatel members connected by constricte necks, the two terminalmembers of which shell are flet, and the intermediate one approximatelysemi-spherical, to constitute an explosive receiving chamber, one of thefiat members he I ing arranged to be cemented to the said chamber, andthe third to inclose the intermediate portion of an attach device.

In testimony that I claim e foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy s1gnature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERASTUS S. LAFFERTY.

Witnesses:

J AIMEE K. AnnoLo, J nuns BARR.

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